Events

<< October 2009 >>

Cinema Project "3E-documentaries"

10 / 01 2009 - 10 / 31 2009

The documentary genre conveys human experience and reflections of passing time more vividly than any other film genre. As a direct portrait of the culture in which it is made, the documentary may become an excellent means of raising the questions of identity and tolerance, while at the same time introducing the present and the history of the EU member states. Documentary Without Borders programme encompasses a desire to present the best European examples of this genre consecutively and comprehensively by dipping into the goldmine of this unique cinematographic language. The programme consists of the best examples of European documentary cinema of the last decade, seminars for filmmakers, and meetings with viewers, film professionals and students. A unique European Film Academy selection process, the so called Documentary Conclave, will take place to award the best European documentary.

Cherry Orchard 2009

10 / 01 2009

The “Cherry Orchard 2009” is an experimental project based on the classical play of A. P. Cechov. Participants – artists of the Lithuanian theatre of different generations. The classical play by Cechov is used as a metaphor to disclose the extinguishing aspects of life and culture. Equally important project rehearsals will be like some jam session, during which outstanding representatives of the Lithuanian theatrical community meeting with the Finnish director maybe for the first and only time will participate in a “collective meditation” on the place of people creating theatre in a modern world. The project will be implemented in two stages. In spring 2009 two-week rehearsals and reading of the play will be organised in a real orchard of cherries. The director will speak with each project participant about life and occupation. The whole process will be filmed and spontaneous moments of rehearsals will be used as material for the future documentary film. The rehearsals will be rounded up in the event during which the “Cherry Orchard” will be read with participation of the audience. The reading will end with a symbolic act – cutting the blossoming cheery trees of the orchard. Filmed material will be used as stage installations aimed at further development of the project. During stage two of the project in end-2009 another reading of the “Cherry Orchard” will take place, only this time – in theatrical space. It will also be filmed. The project connecting different spaces and ages will become a continuous and open “nomad” which can wander across different cultures while being supplemented with a new material revealing present time reflections of theatre creators coming from different countries. The director together with the group “Smeds Ensemble” is planning to continue the project of “Cherry Orchard” in 2010–2011 in Finland, Estonia and Belgium. Documentary material of the project will be presented during various theatre festivals and for a as a live and dynamic installation.

Marius Ivaškevičius “Mickevičius”

10 / 02 2009 - 10 / 03 2009

Following successful creative cooperation between the dramatist Marius Ivaškevičius, directors Rimas Tuminas and Arvydas Dapšys and Vilnius Small Theatre in the play “Madagascar”, the new project also aims at revealing with the help of contemporary theatrical means the outstanding personalities of the Lithuanian history of culture – this time the poet Adomas Mickevičius to create the imaginary situation which also involves some other famous historic characters. Like in other plays of M. Ivaškevičius, history and famous people are used for discussing universal matters of human destiny with contemporaries emphasising human features of characters, avoiding everything that is declarative and pathetic and perceiving a certain historic epoch as a mirror of existing problems of being. Using particular details or facts the dramatist is able to see universal aspects in small things; this principle of creation is also characteristic of the director Rimas Tuminas who succeeds in matching the particularity with generality and in creating poetic and timeless atmosphere employing simple things and actions.

Cold War Modern: Art and Design in the Split World: 1945-1975

10 / 05 2009 - 12 / 14 2009

Both Western and Eastern fine arts, design of things and clothes, architecture and film art of the period marked by dramatic conflict and competition between the two political blocks will be brought together for the first time in the international exhibition Cold War Modern: Art and Design in the Split World: 1945-1975. 1945-1970 was a time remembered not only for its political tension, but also for the exceptional creativity. It affected a wide range of people’s activities - from everyday life to the most remarkable cultural achievements. The armament and space races, as well as the development of science and technology, made a huge impact on the culture of that period. By concentrating on this difficult and volatile era, the exhibition will reveal the Cold War as a competition between differing concepts of modern life and art in a world divided by the Iron Curtain. The exhibition includes works of outstanding artists from the West (Francis Bacon, Naum Gabo, Richard Hamilton, Isamu Noguchi, Pablo Picasso, Gerhard Richter, Ossip Zadkine, etc.) and the East (Erik Bulatov, Jiří Kolář, Josef Koudelka, Aleksandr Laktionov, Boris Michailov, Yevgeniy Vuchetich, Krzysztof Wodiczko, etc.), artists of modern design and applied art (Magdalena Abakanowicz, Pierre Cardin, Joe Colombo, Charles Eames, Stanislav Libensky and Jaroslava Brychtová, Raymond Loewy, Paco Rabanne, Eero Saarinen, etc.), architects (Archigram, Archizoom, Le Corbusier, Buckminster Fuller, Arata Isozaki, Richard and Alison Smithson, etc.) as well as films by Eastern and Western film directors (Stanley Kubrick, Mikhail Kalatozov, Andrei Tarkovsky, etc.). The exhibition will also display unique engineering items, such as a model of Sputnik, the first artificial satellite of the Earth, and a model of the Vostok space capsule, as well as the spacesuits of US astronauts and USSR cosmonauts, a model of Jeðted (former Czechoslovakia) TV tower, etc.

Plenary Meeting of the IETM (Informal European Theatre Meeting)

10 / 08 2009 - 10 / 11 2009

About 300 to 500 representatives of different organisations worldwide plan to participate in the plenary meeting of the Informal European Theatre Meeting (IETM) that is to be arranged for the first time in Lithuania and the entire Baltic Region. IETM is an organisation aiming at encouraging the quality and development of contemporary performing arts by initiating and developing professional cooperation, communication and exchange of information. This is the largest network for contemporary performing arts in Europe uniting about 400 performing organisations active in 41 countries. IETM also organises special meetings for national cultural institutions and other sponsors for addressing specific issues and initiating changes of cultural diplomacy and cultural policy. The meeting in Vilnius is coordinated with the Lithuanian platform of the International Theatre Festival SIRENS. Lithuanian performing arts including theatre, dance and visual arts will be introduced to the participants of the meeting.

Transeuropean Comedy About Holy Hatred

10 / 15 2009 - 10 / 16 2009

The year 2069: the almighty EU that has assumed a new ancient name - Roman Empire - now unites the entire continent. There are no frontiers, no languages, no national customs or peculiarities. However, the Romans learn about a group of rebels, that is, Finns. They reside in a gigantic container, cherish their language and customs, and reject all laws of the new empire. The cosy micro-universe contains all that is required by genuine Finns from karaoke to sauna. Furthermore, the Finns drink magical ancient drink (pontikka) that gives them unworldly powers. This is the artistic vision of Kristian Smeds, one of the most famous Finnish playwrights and theatre directors. This critical project surveys the thoughts and hopes of the citizens in today’s EU. The play stresses the changes shaping the issues of not only European but also national identity. The project will unite the key cultural institutions and renowned artists from Finland, Belgium, Austria and Lithuania. The aim of this international project of high artistic quality is to establish a long-term dialogue and cooperation among artists representing multi-layered spring of European culture.

Soundscape

10 / 15 2009 - 10 / 25 2009

Soundscape will continue the tradition of World Music Days 2008 in the year of Capital of Culture in 2009. The project is unique in the direct and very artistic sounds of different world cities simultaneously playing in one place. The modern audio and video technologies will enable people to hear, in the concert halls, live sounds of the major world cities and capitals integrated into musical compositions created exclusively for this occasion. World-famous foreign and Lithuanian composers will participate in the project. Their compositions including city sounds broadcasted live in video projections will be performed by the following well-known performers of contemporary music: Ensemble InterContemporain, London Sinfonietta, Alarm Will Sound, Ictus, etc. Other following compositions created in this method will also be performed: Brian Eno Music for Airports, Steve Reich City Life, etc. The plans include invitation of the following famous multimedia and sound artists: Bill Fontan (USA), Robin Minard (Canada), Georg Nussbaumer (Austria), Chris Watson (England), etc.

International Conference BORDER CITIES

10 / 15 2009 - 10 / 18 2009

A contemporary city of Europe is historic, social and cultural space in which different identities are forming and developing in the environment of local traditions and intensifying globalisation. Integration of miscellaneous and dynamic local urban identities and experiences is difficult because of different explicit (political, social, racial and cultural) and implicit (emotional and psychological) boundaries. What boundaries and cultural borders have the greatest impact on the development of contemporary cities and identities of their inhabitants? Maybe they are predetermined by historic “hierarchy of European identities regularly and continuously enforced in the cities, which sets the borders between the West and the East, autochtons and immigrants, majorities and minorities, former conquerors and conquered, modernism and archaisms, metropolitan centre and marginal periphery? As urban concepts are most often created in the European metropolis periphery towns and province experiences are left in shade. Vilnius with its unique cultural history and geography provides both the possibility for analytic testing of new theories and excellent conditions for changing stagnant attitudes towards relationships between the centre and periphery and making a new analysis of identity boundaries established in the cities of Europe and the possibilities of their integrity. The conference organisers aim at drawing attention to the specifics of the great majority of border cities – such as Gdansk, Wroclav, Prague, Sarajev, Lvov, Odessa, The Saloniki, Tbilisi, Baku, Beirut or Jerusalem, and to their unique multicultural experiences. Attempts are made to present cultural experience of the border cities the specifics of which are similar to Vilnius and their modern analyses as integral part of theoretic and analytic European urban discourse. The work of the conference mainly takes the form of seminars, open intercultural debates and discussions.

Animal

10 / 17 2009

This joint project by Lithuanian kindergartens and British neon artist Ron Haselden enjoyed great success when it was initially contracted by Liverpool Biennal in 2006. In 2008-2009, children attending kindergartens will be asked to draw some sort of animal. The commission will select 100 best drawings and, from these 100, Haselden will choose 3-5. While faithfully adhering to the original outlines drawn by the children, Haselden will create impressive, 10-metre-high neon installations that will adorn the walls of buildings in the residential areas of the drawing authors. Three installations will emerge in Vilnius, while a total of five of these children-inspired neon creations will be exhibited in Lithuania. The neon animals on these buildings will be switched on by the authors of the drawings themselves. Additionally, powerful equipment will project special video clips with the children’s drawings on the façades of buildings in the major cities of Lithuania (those in which the kindergarteners were most active).

Aerowaves

10 / 22 2009 - 10 / 25 2009

“Aerowaves” – is one of the leading contemporary dance networks of Europe. Every year, on the last weekend of October when clocks are turned back, the most outstanding performers of contemporary dance gather in one of the cities of the Old Continent – one from each country who in order to find new and perspective young talents of choreography spend several days and nights to look through about 300 video records sent from the whole Europe. The international network uniting the leading dance organisations (dance information centres, theatres, festivals and associations) was set up by the most famous and influential dance organisation of the United Kingdom “The Place”. The honour of organising the meeting of “Aerowaves” in 2009 will be granted to Vilnius (the meeting of 2008 is hosted in Madrid). Several tens of dance producers, managers and critics from Europe will arrive to Vilnius to select during three days and nights young creators of dance whose performances will later be demonstrated at “The Place” and in other countries of the network, and to get acquainted with the Lithuanian dance presentation with the most recent works of the Lithuanian dance creators.

Real &£!!* lives in Finland

10 / 25 2009 - 10 / 26 2009

2069. The almighty European Union has occipied the whole continent and assumed a new antique name of the Roman Empire. There are no boundaries, languages, and all national customs and singularities are prohibited. However, the Romans discover a group of rebels. They are Finnish. They live in a huge container, foster their native language and customs and deny all laws of the new Empire. The cosy micro-universe has everything what a Finn needs – from karaoke to sauna. All the more, the Finns are drinking a magic ancient drink (pontikka), which gives unearthly powers to them. This artistic vision of Kristian Smeds – one of the most famous Finnish dramatist and theatre director created with the assistance of Jūratė Paulėkaitė – the recognised stage-manager from Lithuania and the international group of actors, dancers and musicians. This critical project elaborates on thoughts and expectations of residents of the contemporary EU. The play accentuates changes affecting both, issues of the European and of the national identity. The project will involve the most outstanding institutions of culture and famous artists from Finland, Belgium, Austria and Lithuania. This international project of high artistic quality is aimed at establishing a permanent dialogue and cooperation between artists representing a multifaceted cultural foundation of Europe.

3E DOX

09 / 01 2009 - 10 / 31 2009

Twenty years ago forty most famous European film artists and its first president Ingmar Bergman founded the European Film Academy (EFA) – Europe’s most honourable film institution uniting brightest filmmakers in Europe. Every year members of EFA select and award Europe’s best feature films and documentaries. This award ceremony is among the most informative events in Europe. In October 2009 Vilnius will host elections of the best documentary. During the whole month until the ceremony during which the winner will be announced and at the end of the event the programme of the best European documentaries will be demonstrated to the Lithuanian audience. Creative laboratories for films by Lithuanian EFA winners and nominees, which will provide the opportunity to present foreign film lovers and professionals with the tradition and creators of Lithuanian documentaries will be organised concurrently.

Euroradio Music Week

09 / 28 2009 - 10 / 06 2009

Lithuanian Radio in cooperation with the European Broadcasting Union, will arrange Euroradio Broadcasting Week (Lithuanian Radio will organise the broadcasting of Euroradio concerts and operas from Vilnius). During this week, Vilnius is to show itself as a modern city that has preserved old cultural traditions and assumed cultural identity in the long run. The programme will centre on six concerts of music of different epochs and styles that has been and is currently composed and performed in Vilnius. Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, Vilnius String Quartet, Brevis Choir and Consort as well as other best Lithuanian art groups will take part in the event.

Europe / 4 points

08 / 01 2009 - 10 / 31 2009

The project elaborates on the concept and perception of Europe – geographical, political, historical, ideological and cultural dimensions of Europe. The Project “Europe/4 points” distinguishes two starting points – geographical Europe and artistic Europe. These two dimensions are perceived as being interrelated, i.e. geographical map of Europe is viewed from artistic perspective. As the meanings of each continent often are more explicitly revealed at its borders, the Project “Europe/4 points” emphasises four points defining the map of Europe – the most northern Nordkap (71° 08′ 02.835″ N) in Norway, the most southern Punta de Tarifa (36° 00′ 00.175″ S) in Spain, the most eastern in Komi Autonomous Republic (66° 11′ 57.225″ E) in Russia and the most western Cabo da Roca (09° 30′ 02.727″ W) in Portugal. These points serve the frame for the map of Europe. The purpose of this Project is to fill with artistic campaigns and signs the European map created using European borders. The Project is being implemented by a group of seven artists and theoreticians from Lithuania – Nerijus Milerius, Jurga Barilaitė, Ramūnas Alminas, Eglė Ridikaitė, Jurgita Remeikytė, Mindaugas Šnipas, and Gediminas Akstinas in cooperation with artists from other countries of Europe. Discussions provoked by artistic campaigns at the above-mentioned points are continued in web environment. The latter is understood as free artistic territory without any geographical restrictions which can be used to meet and discuss about the European art and culture. Results of artistic campaigns and internet discussions will be introduced via public projections in Vilnius and at the end of the Project – also at the final exhibition.

Exhibition VYTIS: HISTORY AND ART

07 / 04 2009 - 12 / 31 2011

The tradition of imaging the coat of arms of Lithuania Vytis (“the Chaser”) from the most ancient images found on ancient seals and coins of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania to the works of our days will be presented at the exhibition – the comprehensive history of Vytis imaging will be shown, as well as images of Vytis in the art of Lithuanian emigrants of the end of 19th – beginning of 20th century. The versions of Vytis images created by Juozas Zikaras, Adomas Galdikas, Antanas Žmuidzinavičius, Mstislavas Dobužinskis, Petras Rimša and other professional and folk artists before the Second World War will be exhibited. Coins, medals, awards, phaleristics, flags, documents, books and other pieces of applied arts with Vytis images from the museums and private collections will be exhibited.

Lithuania in ancient historical sources

07 / 06 2009 - 10 / 04 2009

The art of Balts

07 / 06 2009 - 10 / 04 2009

Wawel in Vilnius. From the Jagiellonian Dynasty to the end of the Republic

07 / 06 2009 - 10 / 04 2009

The exhibition dedicated for the restoration and opening of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania introduces the cultural heritage of the twin of this residence – the Krakow Royal Wawel Palace. The same sovereigns of Lithuania and Poland, the same artists were creating the residences in Vilnius and Krakow, they have the same history of prosperity and decline. The chronology of the exhibition encompasses the 14th – 18th centuries, it introduces development of Wawel Palace, its hosts from the first Gediminas-Jagiello sovereigns to downfall of the Republic of the Two Nations. The history of Wawel, the significance of the residence, its relations with Vilnius palace, its current collections are presented by more than 100 authentic exhibits, small architecture, plastic casting items, photographs. The most valuable exhibits are Sigismund Augustus’ tapestry collection items famous all over the world, in the 16th – 17th centuries some of them decorated Vilnius palace too. The collection of Lithuanian and Polish sovereigns and noblemen, the collection of medals, treasures, hearths, weapons, different findings, other pieces of applied arts and unique Lithuanian values will also be shown at the exhibition.

Urban Stories. 10th International Art Triennial of the Baltics

06 / 01 2009 - 11 / 30 2009

Forty Lithuanian and foreign contemporary artists and city researchers will stay in the peripheral Vilnius districts of Pilaitë, Ðeðkinë, Naujininkai and Naujoji Vilnia for two weeks. European artists will map everyday life of Vilnius with innovation by enriching traditional image of the old city with the feel of modern reality. The artists and theorists will be invited to leave behind stereotypical tourist and representative Vilnius images and explore more varied social and physical geographies of the city. On the base of this research the city atmosphere, the stories of its current residents will be merged into a new complex narrative about Vilnius with the help of modern art means (such as dimensional installations, cinema and video films, different art campaigns and mass media interventions). The artist research and communication with the residents of the peripheral Vilnius districts will translate into the exposition that will take place in September-November and a two-week programme of temporary events and different projects throughout the city. Vilnius will acquire project chronicles that can be turned into a newspaper, magazine, community radio station or TV channel.

Sacral Music Festival

05 / 01 2009 - 12 / 31 2009

The project will introduce Vilnius, which has been open to ideas, languages and religions in all periods, to the residents and guests of the European Capital of Culture. Art programme of the festival will not be limited only to the influence of Latin culture but instead will take an extensive look at the sacral nature of music. It will present sacral music composed by the authors of different epochs and beliefs. Plainsong, Taize, Corsican folk songs, gospel music, Ukrainian cants, sacral music of Russian classics, Tartar and Karaite songs, Jewish music, Lithuanian songs and A. Scarlatti oratorio for the Lithuanian patron St Casimir as well as monastic musical compositions and organ music cycles will be played in the concerts. Groups from Lithuania, Austria, Czech Republic, Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Israel, the USA, Poland, France, Russia, Sweden, Ukraine and Germany promoting sacral music will participate in the festival. The events will take place in the most picturesque Vilnius temples.

MEETINGS ON CROSSROADS

05 / 06 2009 - 12 / 05 2009

“Meetings on Crossroads” is a period of cooperation between Linz and Vilnius Music Schools giving rise to strong interaction of musical art. Concert repertoire of musicians from Linz and Vilnius Music Schools comprises musical compositions and their instrumentations of both countries. The concert and series of musical events will enable the performers and audience to get acquainted with music of each country which celebrates the year of the European Capital of Culture. Concert programmes will be developed and prepared getting deep into the heart of the Austrian and Lithuanian music, folklore and other events of culture which reveal specifics and uniqueness of the country.

KULTFLUX Platform of Culture near the Neris

05 / 15 2009 - 10 / 31 2009

The Platform of Culture “KultFlux” on embankment of the Neris was initiated by a team of artists, architects, art critics and exhibition curators. This initiative is aimed at diversifying cultural life of Vilnius, reviving the embankment the relief, panorama and geographical dislocation of which from the downtown perspective is ideal for cultural activities contributing to the discussion which is already under way about turning the face of the city to the river. The programme of “KultFlux” events focuses on three areas – urban, design and visual arts. With the help of designers and artists working at the cross-border level a functional, unusual and intensive platform of culture near the water will be developed inviting people to joint it – to exhibit, show, cooperate and propose different ways how to use the embankment of the rive in Vilnius. International design workshops initiated by “KultFlux” will be used by students constructing floating objects; as well as for regional discussions on city and water themes, regular music events, DIY markets, fashion and film presentations and exhibitions of visual arts which people will be invited to examine from amphitheatres near the water.

Virtual Historic Vilnius

04 / 01 2009 - 12 / 31 2009

The purpose of this museum is to create a “visiting card” of Vilnius or an “ABC-book” for getting acquainted with Vilnius. It will comprise the most important objects of history and culture of Vilnius and introduce the following themes: Vilnius – the capital located on the boundary of West and East, Vilnius – the city of communism and anti-communism from mounds to modern and post-modern, Vilnius – the city of 10 confessions, etc. The project does not aim at covering a multifaceted cultural life of Vilnius today – it will introduce the history and heritage of Vilnius emphasising their role in today's life. This virtual museum will introduce the history of Vilnius, historical capital of the Lithuanian State and one of the metropolis in Central and Eastern Europe of exclusive ethno-religious, cultural, social and political value. Incoming tourism will be promoted and an appealing image of Lithuania and Vilnius will be created by presenting the history of Vilnius City to different target groups (Vilnius residents, other residents of Lithuania and foreigners) in interactive format. The virtual museum of history will not only promote knowledge of the past, but also provide inbound tourists with the opportunity to plan their own routes of places to visit.

On Site

04 / 09 2009 - 12 / 06 2009

The project of Linz artist Anja Westerfrölke distinguishes historic exposures and meeting of different cultures in Vilnius. Textile and audiovisual technologies are used to reveal historic layers of prison, monastery and church and their original architecture in Visiting the Sacred Heart of St. Jesus Church. From the outside the church still looks as imprisoned between the walls of the former prison: stairs inside the church connect several floors on which rooms, closets and public premises are located. The project consists of three parts: 1. Installations, exhibition and performances Installation of textiles, audio and vide projections will symbolically reveal historic layers of the church and monastery. To disclose architectural and cultural specifics of the sacral interior selected fragments of interior will be covered with material used by restaurateurs. In 2008, creative workshops of Austrian and Lithuanian students “Textile and sacral architecture” were organised alongside the seminar “Art and representation” and presentation of installations “Local policy” and “Stories of light”. 2. Visiting and history of the monastery Art events linking the historic place and traditions of social and economic activities of monks. Tracing the monastery garden. Seminar “Herbal plants, pharmacology and nursing”. Lecture “St. Mary visiting St. Elizabeth. Stories of the pictures of saints”. Symposium “Women and spiritualism”. 3. Works and items made in prison As part of this project the exhibition of the works of art created in prison and creative workshops with the convicts’ families will be organised.

European Jazz

02 / 01 2009 - 11 / 30 2009

Three concert cycles of European jazz masters will draw together artists of different nationalities and art traditions. The concerts are to reflect the variety of contemporary European jazz, diverse world music cultures and art phenomena. Contemporary European jazz legends and performers from Austria, France, Poland and other European states will participate in the programme.

European Café

01 / 01 2009 - 12 / 31 2009

Each month the all-year-round discussion club will invite the residents and guests of the capital to join discussions on hot topics of culture, economics and policies related to the presentation and perception of contemporary culture. The debates in cafés with the participation of various cultural figures from architects and film-makers to poets will provide a fine opportunity to discuss contemporary culture and today’s art live.

New City Face. 2nd Quadrennial of Contemporary Lithuanian Fine Arts

01 / 01 2009 - 12 / 31 2009

This interdisciplinary project is going to pinpoint the unique cultural heritage of Vilnius and its modern apparel, introduce the latest art works of fine art in an extraordinary way, and seek impressive union of theatrical and cinematographic effects. At nights, the façades and interiors of the main buildings of Vilnius Railway Station, Vilnius Airport and Vilnius Bus Station will be transformed with the help of light and video projections containing the compositions of art works. The new looks of the familiar architectural shapes will provide the city with different, mystified and intriguing face. In daytime, the approaches of these Vilnius “City gates” will become open-air galleries. Lithuanian and foreign artists will display their latest art works, dedicated for the public sites, here. The art works demonstrated in the transit areas will meet the incoming flow of passengers surprising, engaging and inviting them to get involved into the cultural city life.

Film Marathon “52 weeks”

01 / 01 2009 - 12 / 31 2009

All 52 weeks of 2009 will be dedicated to the important stage of evolution in cinema. Fifty-two best-known films of the world that had the greatest influence on the language of cinema and its development will be screened. The films will be selected according to two different viewpoints - classical and experimental. The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), representing the classical approach, will select the most significant films from this perspective, while the experimental perspective will be shaped and presented by the Film Department of New York’s Museum of Modern Art, together with Anthology Film Archives. The new trends in cinema have interacted with various social, political and economic phenomena, therefore, each week will feature additional films intertextual with the main 52 films. These supplementary films will portray the evolution of genres in cinema and how it influenced public opinion. Thus, we will see the first cinematic derivatives of political propaganda, advertising and musicals.

Handicraft Heritage of Vilnius

01 / 01 2009 - 12 / 31 2009

The heritage of crafts in the city is relevant to the Vilnius of today in its struggle to revive old handicraft traditions as an expression of urban culture of the Lithuanian Grand Duchy (LGD). The revival of olden craft customs in Vilnius is also important to the development of cultural tourism and the endeavour to present Vilnius as a city upholding old European traditions. Once per month, educational events will be organised in the original sites of craft workshops in order to revive the old tradition of Vilnius handicrafts. During the Bartholomew Fair, fine, crude and ethnographic handicrafts using old technologies, will be demonstrated by Vilnius craftsmen. The fair is expected to attract the members of ethnic minorities (Karaites, Tartar, Jewish) and, thus, to disclose the historical multi-cultural characteristics of both Vilnius City and its old crafts. The educational, entertainment, cultural and social influences of the project will allow Vilnius to be portrayed as a modern and dynamic city in which creative people design the future by reconstructing the past.

1984. Survival drama

01 / 01 2009 - 12 / 30 2009

1984 is the best-known twentieth-century dystopia, written by George Orwell while Stalin was still in power. The book ponders what life would be like in a future totalitarian society in the far-off year of 1984. What if we, children of the twenty-first century, took a look at the past, to the real 1984 in the Soviet Union? Perhaps you simply forgot or cannot even imagine what it looked like? Well, now you are presented with a unique opportunity to experience the historical setting of the Soviet regime. An underground bunker located in Vilnius District, built in the ‘80s as an alternative television station in the event of nuclear war, will provide a venue for the authentic survival drama of 1984. This survival drama in the bunker is set in the Soviet era in Lithuania during the 50 years of occupation which ended on 11 March 1990. The project will strive to portray the impact of the totalitarian regime not only on political, economic and cultural life, but on the daily lives of people as well. The authentic atmosphere of 1984 will cast participants of the project into the grim reality of those times. 1984. Survival Drama will have no stage or viewing hall, no actors or audience. All those who go down to the bunker of their own free will become its actors.

Baroque Dialogues

01 / 01 2009 - 12 / 31 2009

This is a special programme of baroque art (architecture, music, theatre, literature and dance) which will take place in the baroque churches and chapels of Vilnius, the Royal Palace, and other locations in Vilnius suited for concerts. The aim of the project is to present Europe’s heritage of baroque art through relevant means and interpret it in a contemporary light, a heritage which created Vilnius, one of the most beautiful baroque cultural centres of the Old Continent. An interaction of Europe’s seventeenth and eighteenth-century common cultural heritage and twenty-first century ideas of artists will build new bridges in the present for the creation of the future. The programme, which will consist of concerts, operas and publishing events, will feature performers, interpreters and artists from a number of European countries.

Haiku to Vilnius

01 / 01 2009 - 12 / 31 2009

Haiku to Vilnius is a public creativity action: we invite every Lithuanian to create a haiku poem dedicated to Vilnius. Awards for the best three-line poems will include special prizes and publicity through outdoor advertising, newspapers, television, radio, and unusual sites of the cities. From now on, public areas of Vilnius will be directly open to poetry. Everyone is invited to give a sense to their impressions of Vilnius in a delicate literary form, thus, contributing to the development of the open city together.

Lithuanian Capital of Culture

01 / 01 2009 - 12 / 31 2009

National Competition Lithuanian Capital of Culture should enliven the cultural processes not only of Vilnius but of the entire Lithuania. Artists and cultural institutions of the cities and towns prepare cultural projects representing their cities. The winning city or town for the best project submitted will be awarded the exclusive title of the Lithuanian Capital of Culture for a period of one year.

Public Spaces Animation Programme

01 / 01 2009 - 12 / 31 2009

The Public Spaces Animation (PSA) programme consists of: 1) permanent works of art in public spaces; 2) temporary projects of art in public spaces; 3) discussion platform “Alternative vision of the city”; 4) projects in transit spaces (airport, railway and bus station); 5) living environment animation projects based ion cooperation of artists, architects and communities (contest “My Yard / Art Yard”). Permanent works of art in public space reveal the perception of the most outstanding Lithuanian masters of sculpture of the last decade of the urban space. Their aim is to develop an alternative for the époque-making monumental thinking and encourage more creatively insight of inhabitants and guest of the city to the environment surrounding them. Temporary projects in public spaces aim at distinguishing historic and cultural transformations and revealing specifics of a particular location. Selected semantic areas are different: sacral (St. Jesus’ Heart Church and the Monastery of Visitation), disappearing public (former House of Culture of Railway Employees) and institutional (“Talking Doors”) space. Approaches to the Sport Palace also represent potential space for the participants in this project. Discussion platform is designated for theoretic, critical and artistic analysis of public spaces. The public space of the city is disappearing because it is more and more occupied by signs of commercial culture. One of potential ways of artistic/critical analysis of public spaces is a specially created film about disappearing public spaces of Vilnius and demonstration of this film in unexpected places. The final event of the discussion platform – exhibition of projects submitted for PSA pending in end-2009. The purpose of LAA project “New face of the city” is to provide an innovative interpretation of transit spaces – airport, railway and bus stations and their approaches. As a rule, these spaces are occupied by people for a short time; they are intended for quick “use” and often are visited by accidental visitors. But at the same time they are like a visiting card of the city which might be introduced each time from a different perspective. Living environment animation contest “My Yard/Art Yard” is devoted for giving artistic and functional meaning to remote living spaces of downtown and places of entertainment. The title of the contest denotes the principal aim – to create the public space available to all giving to it creative meaning just as if you were creating in your own yard and for our family. The contest seeks to involve into the creative process different social groups actualising the network of avenues, streets, squares, unused buildings as the space suitable for creation and discussions.

PEOPLE Programme Foundation Projects

01 / 01 2009 - 12 / 31 2009

Creative initiatives of Vilnius communities in the City of Vilnius. The Foundation has been set up exclusively for culture / art / social community initiatives. The community in this case means people permanently residing in a respective territory and connected by common public needs and interests. For the purposes of this contest communities will also include groups of people formed for sports, religion, entertainment and other purposes. The contest of this Foundation which has been lasting for two and half years already provides the opportunity to implement projects focusing on community needs.

<< October 2009 >>